


Another Finale Fix-it Fic

by BirdBoneGirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, finale fix-it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:49:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27676967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdBoneGirl/pseuds/BirdBoneGirl
Summary: So, that finale was a mess. I added scenes to make it make sense and cut out 15.20 completely.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Charlie/Stevie, Donna Hanscum/Jody Mills, Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Kaia Nieves/Claire Novak
Kudos: 62





	Another Finale Fix-it Fic

Cas watched as the Empty emerged from the wall, using his angelic reflexes to push Dean out of the way. But he felt happy. As happy as he had been in recent memory. As sure of himself as he had ever been as a Garrison angel, but with this extra feeling. This love.

The blackness enveloped him like a pair of wings and pulled him away.

Something was very wrong with the Empty. 

For one it was Loud. The very floor seemed to vibrate and hum. As his vision resolved around them, Cas was faced with the Empty, still in Meg’s visage, her whole body the image of tension. Her fists clenched her teeth in an uncanny valley grimace. 

The Empty’s lips curled into a smile of victory as Cas and Billie stood there before it. It's prey caught. But the smile soon faded to a frown as the loud hum rose in volume around them.

“You!” The empty screamed at Billie. “You sent that abomination here.”

Billie smiled, now that she wasn’t falling apart. “So I did. No less than you deserve.”

The empty launched themself at the former Death and grabbed her by the head.

Cas stepped away from them as they grappled with each other. He squinted as he focused on the noises in the air around him. A particular high pitched whine catching his attention.

He kept backing away from the two cosmic beings fighting it out like WWE wrestlers in the middle of a black nothingness. He took a moment, watching the fight from a distance, to take a deep breath and wipe his eyes. 

“Goodbye, Dean.” He repeated to himself.

He started to run. When he had been here before, his footsteps had echoed waking the cosmic “empty” from their slumber. Now it made not a tick of difference as if combined with a thousand, no, a million other footsteps in the dark.

“Hello!?” He called out when he felt sufficiently far away.

He heard footsteps and turned around to find Gabe standing there looking smug as ever.

“Hey, Brother.” 

Cas, still teary from saving Dean burst into happy tears and he stepped up to hug his brother.

“Whoa, whoa, hey now! What is happening? Why are you-“

“I told him.” Cas mumbled into his chest. 

“Oh good. I was worried it was something world breaking.”

“Gabe, I-“ Cas stepped away from his brother. 

“You finally told that idiot you loved him with your dying breath?” Gabriel guessed, looking annoyed.

“Something like that…”

“So…?? What did he say?”

Cas frowned. “Well, he didn't really have much time to respond before the Empty took me. I barely had time to push him out of the way.”

“So you were content just yelling “I love you” and getting killed?”

Cas looked genuinely angry. Gabe held up his hands in surrender. “Okay okay, i'm sure it made sense at the time. I was just curious if the flanneled wonder boy told you he’s madly in love with you too. But I see that isn’t the case.”

“Gabe, I’ve been trying to be with him for a decade. I think I know what he thinks. I’ve told him I love him before and…I am happy knowing I got to be by his side all these years. That I saved him more than once from everything Chuck threw at us. And that I saved him this one last time from Death herself. I can be happy with that.”

“For a moment.”

Cas looked ashamed. “For a moment.”

“Well fuck him then.” 

“Gabe…”

“I mean it. If he doesn’t realize he loves you, he’s just not worth it.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Cas, bro, brother. Friend. That boy does nothing but talk about you, think about you, pray about you and stare at you. If he isn’t in love with you then I am not an archangel.”

“Gabe...I know he doesn’t…”

“Look, I'm going to bet you all your grace he will show up here, covered in blood begging you to come back before you know it.”

Cas shook his head at Gabe’s ridiculous antics, “I’m glad you are here.” he acquiesced. 

“So, uh, where exactly are we?”

“The Empty.”

“This place is far from empty.” Gabe mused. “We all woke up a little while ago.”

“All of you?” Castiel was incredulous, he peered into the darkness tilting his head to extend his hearing farther out. The cacophony rose the farther he sent himself. 

“What do you mean?” Gabe asked, uneasy.

“All the angels and demons that ever died come to rest here. Are they all awake?”

Gabe actually looked startled by this revelation. “I mean I haven't checked…”

“Uriel! Anna! Balthazar!” Cas started naming his garrison as they were the easiest to call to order.

They all walked out of the darkness forming a circle. “Castiel?” 

Cas gave them all a smile. “It’s good to see you all again.”

“I think it's fair to say we are all equally not pleased to see you, Castiel.”

“You killed all of us.”

Cas grimaced, embarrassed. He hadn’t really thought far. 

“Cas what is happening?” Gabe asked, at least he was on their side.

“We are all dead in the Empty,” Cas explained, adding the fact that this was the angel and demon afterlife. Where they all came to eternally slee.

“Well that's great. And here I thought maybe this was a rescue.” Balthazar sneered.

“How do you know that?” Anna asked him. 

“The Empty and I had a lot of alone time together. I asked.”

“Is it always so loud here?” Uriel asked, holding his ears.

“Well that's the problem, a billion angels and demons are awake.”

They all exchanged a look.

—-

Dean pulled up to Jack and Sam standing in the middle of the crossroads where they had told him to meet them. It had taken him at least three hours to pull himself off of the floor of the dungeon. 

He exited the car, still struggling to hold back the tears. He almost lost it when they asked him where Cas was. All he could see was the black sludge surrounding his angel and taking him away. 

Jack looked puzzled and deeply sad as he explained. “I don’t understand.” 

“Cas is gone, Jack,” Dean explained again, his words coming out more roughly than he meant. “He- he sacrificed-“ the word barely came out as a whisper as tears threatened once more. He had only just gotten them under control dammit. 

“No, I mean… how was Cas happy?”

Dean looked up sharply at the kid. “You knew?”

“About the deal? Yes, but Cas assured me that there was nothing in his life that would make him happy. What changed?” He asked, his eyes squinting just like Cas when he was curious about something. 

Sam was watching the exchange with interest, “Wait, what does this have to do with Cas being happy?”

Dean's eyes betrayed him, the visage of Cas’s tear filled eyes swimming in front of him. Jack spoke for him as he wiped his face dragging his whole hand down across his eyes. 

Jack calmly explained while Dean collected himself. “Cas demanded the empty give me back in exchange for himself. The empty accepted that deal and told him they would collect when Cas had felt a perfect moment of happiness.” He paused. “‘When you finally allow yourself to be happy and let the sun shine on your face, then I’ll come for you’,” He quoted. 

Dean sat his ass down on the hood of the car and stared down at his empty hands. Hearing the exact words of the agreement a fresh blow. Wishing he had held on to him tighter. “He- he-“ he couldn’t look at either of them. “He told me he loved me.” There he said it out loud. 

Sam and Jack stayed quiet waiting for more, but the words were stuck in his throat like they had been for five hours. Like they had been for years. For fucking years.

“And you told him you love him too?” Jack asked, with that innocent curiosity of the three year old he really was.

Dean started to shake his head and it became violent and uncontrollable. He stood up and they both stepped back from him. “No,” His voice cracked and though he wanted to shout it didn't seem right in this new empty world. The one with not a soul in sight. “No, i didn't get to say much of anything.. I didn’t know what he was talking about until…” the image of the black goo of the empty coming at them flashed in his mind. “He was gone. I never thought… I didn’t know that an angel could feel that way. I always thought he was…” out of reach. He couldn’t say the words. 

He shook his head again and wiped the last tears off. “What does it matter? They are all gone. The whole world is gone!” And this time he did manage a shout. Willing Chuck to come out of hiding. Knowing he wouldn’t and that all their chances were gone.

Sam and Jack didn’t have an answer to that so they moved on to what to do next. 

They spent an hour walking around the town where Donna had set up the silo for warding, but they found nothing. Not a person, squirrel or bird. Not even a mosquito. There was literally nothing but the three of them and the plants.

Plants that Jack was somehow sucking up the life from. Sam and Dean watched from the windows as every living thing around Jack seemed to be absorbed. They didn't say anything. No need to alert Chuck on this one, they would calmly talk to Jack about it in the car. 

They went home to the Bunker. Jack told them he’d first noticed sucking up the plants in the silo. He was worried.

“Do you think something is wrong with me? Am i like death to all living things?” Jack asked, looking depressed.

“Do you feel like death?” Dean asked him.

He thought about this, his puppy eyes narrowing. “I feel vast. Like i have all this room inside me.”

“We’ll see if we can find anything out, maybe run some experiments? See if it's just plant energy?”

—-

When they get home Dean starts drinking. He had emptied out the liquor and beer at the bar they stopped in when Sam wasn't looking. And he proceeded to drink until he passed out, wishing he could erase this empty feeling in him. Cas was in the empty and he was empty inside. 

He does this every night after the others go to bed.

—-

Dean spent the next few days compiling all they knew about the Empty. Asking Jack questions and asking Sam for options. Nothing comes of it. 

Sam and Jack experiment with magic and find Jack is absorbing all sort of energy. Anything like a charging battery. They aren’t 100% sure what it means but Sam is scouring Rowena’s books and scrolls for clues.

That morning Dean wakes on the floor, using an empty whiskey bottle for a pillow. Sam is standing over him looking concerned, he helps him to his feet but doesn't say anything. He looks like he hasn't been sleeping. They both keep it to themselves for now. 

Jack gets a feeling.

Dean sees a dog and his stupid tan coat reminds him of Cas so much he forgets himself and his rule about dogs. The dog is a miracle. God does still have blind spots.

He talks too loudly about Miracle and god zaps him away too. They have to be careful what the talk about too loudly. God seems to be listening in periodically. If they are going to win they have to use quiet moments that won't blip on his radar.

They don’t talk about the dog again, other than Sam grumbling about Dean letting a dog into the impala after giving him shit about it all those years and they keep driving. Keep sending Jack into lush green fields and watch as they wither and absorb life into him. He’s gonna need all the power they can get. But they have to stay quiet. They have to be boring. They need Chuck to make the next move. 

Chuck comes to taunt them. 

After days of seeing no one on this empty planet, Dean can’t help himself and begs for Cas back offers his own life, Sam’s. Sam agrees for the sake of everyone on earth. But Chuck turns them down. Again.

They find Michael in one if his churches. 

“Chuck took Adam?”

Michael smiles his condescending smile, but Dean can see his pain clearly as if he had grimaced. “Yeah along with all the others. And left me here all alone.”

Dean stops himself from inquiring further. He can already tell Michael has snapped. Adam was the one giving the archangel a shred of humanity. Whatever bond they had shared Michael wasn’t dealing with the loss well. He knew the feeling. 

Dean couldn't help but think of Cas and how he would feel with him at his side at this moment. How his presence would ground him and make him feel so confident in his abilities just by being there. He had been through more and allowed himself more humanity. Had been human. God how had he not seen how much he loved him. Why had he allowed this to happen?

\---

They convince Michael to come with them. They ask him for help, convince him they need him. Do they? 

It’s unclear.

Michael knows nothing about the empty.

“It’s an angel and demon graveyard. No one returns from there.”

—

Sam is sitting in the dark on the kitchen stairs. He’s holding Eileen’s broken phone. The battery died days ago but he is staring at it like he can read something there. 

“There’s something I can’t get out of my head.” Dean says as he slowly descends the two little steps. “Chuck brought Cas back. Like at least a half a dozen times to us. To me.” He adds the last quietly as he lowers himself on the opposite stair from Sam, “but Death and Jack and the Empty keep saying God has no power there.”

Sam encloses the phone in his big hands, pursing his lips in that way he does when he’s been crying. “We’re going to get them back, Dean. Both of them.”

Dean catches his brother's determined gaze and nods. “I know we will.”

“You love him too, don’t you?” Sam asks him, earnest and hopeful. 

“Sam,” Dean huffs out. “Would you believe that I didn’t know?” He leaned his head on the cold tile and laughs “I mean. I knew we shared a “profound bond” or whatever.” He couldn’t help using air quotes like Cas. “I just thought. This is a powerful creature. This angel makes me feel this way because he is literally a beam of celestial intent. And yes he seems to be connected to me but… how could an angel love a human? It breaks them right? Cas could never…” he trailed off, staring off at nothing for a moment. “So I buried it. I am so good at that, you know? Bury my feelings till they are gone. Look what I did to Lisa and Ben?...”

“Dean, slow down, don’t start listing everything,” Sam counseled. 

Dean took in a shaky breath. “I can’t let it end this way Sammy. I have to tell him the truth. My truth. Even if he can’t forgive me for letting him go again.”

“And your truth is?”

“That he can have me.” He spread his arms out, “All of me.” He dropped his arms and hugged himself adding “For as long as we both shall live.”

Sam’s eyebrows rose up his forehead. “Damn, okay then.”

“What about you?” Sam looked at the floor, setting the broken phone down and leaning into his knees.

“I don’t know. I love Eileen, but we are both worried that our love was just… plot. But when she comes back, when they all come back I will ask her out again and we will see.” Sam gave a little wry smile at that.

Dean nodded and smiled. “That sounds…healthy.”

Sam snorted. “What a concept.”

Dean’s phone buzzed, causing them both to jump. Dean felt his heart in his throat as he read the name on the screen. 

Cas.

—-

Dean shut the door behind him, furious. Lucifer. Enough said.

The devil always came disguised as your greatest desire. He should have guessed. Should know by now not to hope.

They kill Lucifer.

Jack absorbs more power. Sam comes up with a plan. Its genius, and it might work. 

Dean judges where Michaels head is at.

Without Adam there is not hope for the archangel.

They set the trap.

—

“Jack, how you, uh, feeling?” 

Jack shrugged and smiled. “Uh, Powerful?” Dean took heart that he could make a joke. He even looked happy, mostly. “Not like before with Adam’s rib, but like, I have infinite space to absorb infinite energy.”

Dean processed that for a few moments then said, “I’m not going to pretend that that doesn’t sound terrifying, but I am glad to hear you aren’t feeling unstable or like you are breaking apart again.”

“No. This is different. I think when I reassembled in the empty, I took some of its vastness with me. The breaking apart left more room for me to grow.”

Dean sidled around the kitchen table, sitting down with his cup of coffee. It may have been more whiskey than coffee at this point but who was paying attention. He hasn’t stopped drinking since….“We have a big day tomorrow, you think we did enough?”

Jack squinted. “I will need to charge up directly from the source. I think it will be enough, but I might need you to get him to...expend some more energy just in case.”

“Got it,” Dean didn’t ask how Jack knew that. He trusted the boy. And Sam and Dean would gladly die to charge up Jack, if what they thought could happen would. They could only hope that the plan would work. It was there last shot after all, and at the moment they were literally the only ones left in the universe to do it. 

“Jack- uh, sit down.” He pivoted, not wishing to have this conversation while Jack was hovering over him. Jack obediently sat down, his brow furrowing just enough to show his worry.

“I just wanted to tell you-“ Jack opened his mouth to speak. “No please listen. What I said the other day… before we got to Adam and…” god why was it so hard to say things when it mattered. Jack's face was becoming stony, stoically trying to pretend it was all okay. “I just want you to know that I think that was Chuck. It's not an excuse, I mean you’re allowed to be mad at me for it. But- looking back I think-“

“Dean.” Was all he said and for a split second he sounded like Cas. Calm, steady. It stopped his babbling cold. He met his eyes. “I know. I think i understand now what's been happening.”

“That’s… you know what. It doesn’t matter. What matters is, I am sorry. I am sorry I ever thought those things let alone said them. I am sorry for not being the father I should have been to you.”

Jack gave him a smile. Trust Jack to accept things without question. They really didn't deserve such a child after everything they, he, had put him through.

“We will get him back,” Jack said, and Dean almost believed him. 

Dean couldn’t help the tears that popped into his eyes. “And you think you can.. get us to the empty?”

Jack thought about this. “I don’t know… but before i was able to wake Cas up. Maybe i can… get him a message?”

“I guess I better figure out what to say…” him and his useless words.

“What did he say to you?”

Dean looked down. “I love you.” His breath caught in his throat. 

“I think that will do.” 

“Dean?” 

“Yeah?”

“Will you and Cas finally get to be… my dad’s?” 

Dean put a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We always were, I was just too pigheaded to see it.”

—-

He even managed to resurrect Miracle the dog who came bounding towards them in the middle of the street. 

“Wait...Jack, what about Cas?”

Jack tilted his head, concentrating. “I told you Dean, I can’t interfere. It’s too easy to start to try putting everything right and then I won’t stop. This power is too great. I will be there to lend you strength. But this task is too much for me to magic away. Besides, I think he will be okay..” And he turned again towards the sun and became brighter and brighter until he was gone. 

Sam and Dean exchanged a long look. 

“So much for our deal,” Dean grumbled. Clenching his fist in frustration. Jack was literally god now and couldn’t be bothered to bring him back the one person he wanted most. 

“He is god now Dean, and he has Amara in there. You yelled at her for bringing Mom back so easily. You really think they were just going to give him to you?”

Dean rolled his eyes, mostly at himself for not realizing his mistake before. 

Deand’s phone rang, “Dean?” Donna’s voice sounded happy but worried. 

“Donna! Thank god!” Dean said. Sam blanched and took out his phone and Eileen’s broken cell. 

“Dean, what happened? I remember everyone disappearing and I think I-” Donna’s voice was talking rapidly. Dean realized Sam’s dilemma, Eileen was back and he had her phone. 

He talked to Donna and quickly moved to the Impala, sliding into the passenger seat and tossing Sam the keys. “Donna, slow down. We’ll explain soon, but is everyone there? Is Charlie?” Sam caught them and ran to the driver’s seat.

“Yes, she is talking to Stevie on the phone.”

“But what happened, did you get death to bring us back?”

“Not exactly. Thank Jack, okay?”

“Ah, I will, he’s such a good kid. Bless him.”

“Donna, can you check on everyone? Make sure no one is still missing? We’ll check in later.”

“Thank’s Dean.”

“Let’s go find your gal!” Dean told Sam and held on as Sam sped down the empty highway. At least there was no cars or wildlife to worry about.

\---

It was a tearful reunion. Eileen had been frantically trying to find her phone, worried something had happened to Sam. Sam, not as adept at signing as Eileen tried with fumbling and stumbling words to explain what all had happened. 

“So we’re free?” Eileen finally asked? Looking between Sam and Dean. 

“Yes, we are free.” Sam told her, more sure in his signing with the simpler phrase. Dean smiled and agreed, it seemed to put her at ease. 

“Well then, Dean, I will have him back by dinner tomorrow.” 

Dean grinned, and held out his hands for the keys he knew Sam would be throwing his way. 

“No rush!”

\----

Dean was glad for the solo ride home. It gave him time to think. It gave him time to think about what he would say. 

It gave him time to pray, once more, to his angel. 

“Cas?

Castiel?

I don’t know if you can hear, but I think Jack was telling me that he will boost the signal. He said the doors to the empty aren’t as strong as they used to be. I hope he was right.

We did it Cas, you saved us all and Jack… Jack is god? Something like it and better than Chuck ever was. He isn’t going to put himself in the story. His words. How a three year old kid… our son could be so smart and compassionate after all he’s been through…

But I suppose that’s because of his father. Because of you.

Because you Cas, are the most selfless person/angel/whatever I have ever met. And I took it for granted.

I didn't see that when you came with me, standing at my side ready to kill or die trying. That was you saying I love you. Over and over. And I didn’t…

I’m an idiot okay? I chose to believe that you were out of play… an angel couldn't love a human. Especially not one like me. You were just being who you were.

You changed me too Cas. You did. You taught me what I was fighting for and you never gave up on me, and did some stupid hurtful shit.

“But if you have your ears on and even if you don’t hear any of the rest.

“I love you too Castiel. Cas. You are my best friend and I want you by my side. And if i have to wait I will. I will find a way to the empty if I have to. Not for anymore sacrifice, but just to be with you if that’s all I can get. Sorry it took me so long.

“I love you Castiel.”

\----

Cas felt his body pulse and his eyes lit up under the power surge hitting his grace. He didn’t know why, but he knew it was time to make their move. He relayed messages to all the hosts of angels, he even convinced the demons to help with the noise levels when they would need a boost. 

The trap was set. 

—-

“Dean get your hands off that grill, this is my kingdom.” Jodi said, swatting at his hands as he attempted to flip a burger.

“I’ll have you know I am an excellent cook,” Dean said, holding tight to the spatula.

“Doesn’t mean you know how to grill,” Jodi counseled. 

“Fine, I submit.” Dean gave in, relinquishing the spatula a d letting her hip check him out of the way. 

“Go get Claire for me, I need more plates!” She caled after him as he left. 

Dean took his assignment and went in search of Claire. She was sitting behind Kaia on a downed log moving chess pieces over her shoulder, while Patience frowned. 

“No fair!”

“No less fair than being psychic, this way you won’t anticipate our moves.” Claire countered, Kaia was just laughing quietly at the antics. 

Dean grinned, she had a point. “Jodi says she needs more plates, Claire.”

“Tell the good witch to go get it, the wicked witch of the west is busy.” Claire whined, holding Kaia to her like a teddy bear.

“Alex isn’t home from her shift yet,” Donna called from the kitchen, “Help your mother out.”

Kaia turned around and gave Claire a look and they both got up to get more plates. Patience looked annoyed at the interruption, but brightened when Dean moved some of Claire and Kaia’s pieces around on the board. “Do me proud!”

Patience nodded sharply. 

Dean moved on to the kitchen to give Donna a kiss on the top of her head just so she could call him a flirt, and to distract her enough to steal a piece of chocolate from the s'more making station she was assembling.

“Is Sam comin?” She asked, “And...Eileen?”

Dean grinned, “Don’t know, they were on a hunt with Charlie and Stevie, it was a good six hours away and last I heard they were still digging up the bones of the thing.”

“So they still…”

“It’s going well, they haven’t killed each other yet, but Sam says they are taking it all one day at a time.”

“Probably for the best,” she popped a marshmallow in her mouth. “How you doin’? I mean really?”

Dean sat on one of the barstools, “Well, I got that job I applied for,” Dean told her, feeling a bit proud of himself. He too grabbed a marshmallow to chew, “three days a week. Pay isn’t great, but I get to fix up the classic cars. The owner says I’m better than some of his crew that have been doing it for years longer. Says I seem to understand them. I guess years of keeping Baby running really paid off.”

“Ah, I’m proud of you kid,” Donna put a hand on his right shoulder and gave him a squeeze. 

“I’m the same age as you Donna,” Dean rolled his eyes. 

Donna tilted her head and raised her eyebrows in a motherly fashion. “Let a momma be proud of you!”

Dean shook his head grinning. 

“Sam is okay with you leaving the life?” Donna asked, handing him a cold dark beer from the fridge. 

“He...wasn’t at first.” Dean said, taking a swig. It was a good stout. “But after that last Djinn fight, he told me I have to take that job. I don’t know what he lived through, exactly, but he told me that this sect of Djinn fed off despair and he wanted me to take the job.”

“Must have been some vision,” Donna said, furrowing her brow. 

“Must have been, I saw him text Eileen something about Vampire Mimes? And a rusty nail? Not sure.” Dean shrugged, “Besides, hunting with Eileen has been good for them, it takes the pressure off of dating as the end all be all of their life together.”

“I hear that. Jodi and I would kill each other sitting here all day. That’s why we keep separate houses. Plus it gives the girls a place to run to when they need to get away from each other.”

“So you two are…?” He wiggled his eyebrows, joking because he wasn't too surprised. Turned out coming out to himself turned on his gaydar.

Jodi appeared, seeming to have been eavesdropping. “I mean men come and go on the side, but we’ve found something here.” She said, slipping an arm around Donna, and giving her a small kiss. 

“I’m happy for you both,” Dean said, sincerely trying to hold back the tears, “Should we get out there, I am sure the fireworks are starting soon.” Any excuse to get out into the darkening exterior of the hot july evening.

They all left the kitchen, Donna bearing the s’mores tray and Jodi holding their beers. The girls had all moved to start a fire in the fire pit, and Alex had come home from her shift at the Hospital. Donna set out the tray by the girls and her and Jodi pulled him a little away from the group. 

“And what about you?” Jodi asked.

Dean couldn’t help but look up, as if he could see Cas up in the sky. “Sam told you?”

“Told us what?” Donna asked a complete parody of innocence. 

“Look, I know I was an idiot about it, but I didn’t get that he was in love with me all this time. I just thought it was a...guardian angel thing.”

“Wait, you and Cas?” Jodi asked, seemingly shocked. 

“I thought Sam told you about Cas’s sacrifice.” Dean hesitated.

“Well yeah, we know about that! But you and Cas?? How did we not know?” Donna aked. Dean realized they were teasing him. 

“I mean, I kind of suspected there was something between you two. You argue like an old married couple.” Jodi admitted. 

So Dean told them the story.. “Cas summoned the empty by being happy, I know that doesn’t seem..but it was the deal he struck with it. Once Cas was happy the empty would come for him. He made himself happy by telling me that he loved me.”

Donna and Jodi were enraptured. “That’s so romantic!”

“What did you say?” Jodi asked him. 

“I didn’t...I didn’t have a chance to say anything. But the time I understood what was happening, what he was telling me… he was gone.”

“Jack tried to send him a message in the empty, but I have no way of knowing if he got it, or that he believed it. It’s been months. I keep trying to find another way into the empty, but the new Death isn’t answering our calls.” Dean didn't mention that they had killed the reaper to make her death, trying to convince her that it was a good idea to help them, but as soon as they had accumulated all of Deaths past knowledge she had left with a stern message that they would not be helping the Winchesters with anything ever again.

“Anything we can do?” Jodi asked. 

Dean rolled his eyes saying, “Pray I guess. That’s what I keep doing, hoping he’ll hear me someday. Hoping Jack will pull him out of there eventually.”

They both stepped forward and gave him a surrounding hug. “It will all work out Dean, that angel always comes back to you.”

“If worse comes to worse I will someday die and I will claw my way from heaven to the empty to get that fool back.” 

“Hopefully that day is a long way off.” Donna said sternly at him. “Don't you give up on us.”

“The life of a mechanic isn’t all that dangerous,” Dean said. Donna punched him in the shoulder, grinning. 

Something in the sky caught their eyes and they all turned to look up. At first Dean thought the fireworks had started early, but the light in the sky was an odd shade of yellow and didn’t make any noise as it streaked across the sky. Dean startled as he recognized what he was seeing. A falling angel. He would bet his life on it. 

He didn’t even know when he started praying. 

“Cas if you can hear me, I am coming to get you. I love you.” He thought as he ran to the Impala. Jodi and Donna and the girls all calling after him. 

His phone was ringing and he answered, putting the phone on speaker and he buckled in and peeled out of the driveway. 

“Dean! Did you see the-” Sam sounded frantic, hopeful. 

“I’m already on my way. Which direction did it look like from your position?” His eyes trained on the slow falling streak. 

“North east, about thirty degrees off north.”

“It was south and just slightly east of here.”

“Charlie is checking with some other teams and will get you a triangulation soon.”

Dean thanked his brother and just kept driving his mind fixed in the direction of the falling star. As the light faded more from the sky, fireworks dotted the landscape above the tiny towns barely visible in the distance. Independence Day. 

\---

It shouldn’t have been as easy as it was to find him. Maybe Jack had a hand in guiding him, or maybe Charlie really was just that good with triangulation and hacking satellites. Whatever the case Dean rounded a gravel road and found a crater in an empty onion field. He launched himself out of the car, keeping the headlights trained on the center. Climbing over the edge of the crater and down into the hole and to the small mound at the center. 

It was probably just a meteor. He was probably just fooling himself. 

He wiped away the dirt, and met pale skin. 

The man startled awake, looking up at him, in disbelief. 

Dean knew his face must look the same. 

“Dean?” Castiel asked.

“Cas.” Dean confirmed, smiling. He quickly took off a layer and wrapped it around his naked friend as he stood up, blinking and looking around. 

“How did you find me so fast?”

“Charlie. Luck, Jack maybe?” Dean shrugged, not caring one way or the other. He had Cas back. 

Cas nodded. “Yes, Jack said he would help a little. I just didn’t think you’d be here so fast…”

“Cas, did you hear my prayers?”

Cas blinked at him, frowning. “I’ve been in the Empty, I haven’t heard anything.” Dean felt the man start to shiver as he held his shoulders, trying to keep him upright. 

“Let’s get you out here and get you some clothes,” Dean suggested.

“That would be preferable.”

Dean didn’t have much in the way of clothes in the car. He had left his bag at Jodi’s where he had been planning on crashing that night. So he peeled off another layer of flannel, and gave him Miracles dog blanket to wear as a skirt. “I’m sure we can find something better at Jodi’s.” Dean said, looking at his poor angel wearing a flannel, his canvas jacket and a red plaid skirt.

Cas flinched at the mention of Jodi’s. “Do we have to go see the others...right now. We need to talk and...I need to explain things about what’s happened.”

“Cas, I know we do. There is time, we don’t need to rush.”

Cas looked disappointed. 

“You’re right. Let’s get you cleaned up and into some real clothes.”

Cas nodded and looked out the window into the darkness as Dean drove them, not to Jodi’s but back to the Bunker. 

It was a long drive. Dean had made Cas text everyone to let them know that he was okay and where they were going. Sam, Jodi, Donna, and later even Garth and Bobby tried to call, but Cas refused to answer the phone and Dean didn’t push him. 

A few hours in Dean finally gave into impulse and grabbed Cas’s hand.

Cas looked up at him startled. Dean gave it a little squeeze and they sat like that for awhile as the road flew by.

They tried to talk, but after some starts and stops both of them decided to wait until they weren’t in a car. This conversation needed to be face to face. 

Dean couldn’t help but have flashbacks to years before when Cas had fallen to earth and had come to the bunker having traveled across the country to get to him. How he had been so comfortable in human form until Dean had had to kick him out. How devastated he had been. What an absolute dick he had been to his best friend. 

This time when Castiel emerged from the showers, dressed in a black t-shirt under an open brown flannel shirt of his and a pair of worn jeans. His hair was still wet. 

“So...human again, huh?”

Castiel took in a deep breath. “Mostly. I still have a spot of grace left. But not much.”

“I want to ask what happened... I do. I want to know. But first, Cas…” Dean stumbled. How many times had he practiced this, how many times had he prayed to Cas and now he had trouble getting it all out. “Castiel, Cas. It took me a really long time to figure out how I felt. For the longest time I thought you couldn’t feel...love for me. That it was impossible.”

“Dean you don’t have to say anything-”

“No, let me get this out, man. It's not how angels were built, I thought.. How could a creature of pure cosmic intent love someone, you know? But over the years you proved again and again that you loved me. I just ignored it. Chalked it up to you feeling duty bound to me or Sam or a mission to save the earth. You proved to me over and over you cared for me, even beating the hell out of me when I was doing something monumentally stupid. I realized after… the Empty took you, how much I never told you. How often I told you we needed you, when what I meant was…I wanted you.”

He took a steadying breath, not caring that he was cryinf. “How when you died the last time I broke. I was so lost without you Cas. I nearly gave up. I really did. But when you came back, I didn’t tell you. It was like you said, just being in your presence was enough to get me up off the floor and keep going. I didn’t dare hope for more. Why would an angel want more.”

“Dean, I-”

“Cas I was worse than any idiot for not believing you could feel the same way about me as I do you. You can have me Cas. All of me.”

Cas’s eyes were filled with disbelief and tears. 

Dean made himself say it, closing more of the distance and cupping Cas’s cheek in his hand. “I love you. I love you too. Okay?”

He leaned in and kissed him for the first time. It was like coming home. 

\---

“Well when Jack exploded it woke everything up in the Empty. Every Demon and Angel that ever died. I rallied my garrison and Gabriel helped get the other archangels together. Well except Lucifer who refused to leave. He said after Chuck’s latest betrayal he just wanted to sleep”

“Empty and Billie fought for a couple days, but we finally were able to pull them apart long enough to talk the empty into a deal. Now that we were all awake, none of us were going to stay quiet. We agreed to leave the empty so it could go back to sleep and all promised the next time we die we will go straight to sleep when we return.” 

‘The Empty agreed, but on some conditions. One Billie and I weren’t allowed back, we both promised to give up our grace so we couldn’t return.”

“Gabriel led us back to heaven. Jack was there,” Cas smiled fondly about his son. “He’s made some changes. I helped him for a bit, to break down the walls of heaven. With full hosts of angels, heaven is burning brighter than ever.” 

“The Demons all went to Hell, and we wrestled the grace out of Lucifer and sent him with them. Jack tells me Rowena has him in hand. There seems to be balance with the realms. Hell is now reserved for those who deserve it. Heaven is accepting transfers for the reformed or unjustly damned. Kevin has been allowed in, before he succumbed to ghost sickness.” 

“There will be violations, but there is a balance for now.” 

“And what about you, Cas?” Eileen asked.

“I chose to fall. I could have given up my Grace like Billie did to stay in heaven. But, a few years ago I had fallen to earth and got to experience being human. It wasn’t a great time of my life, but I made the decision to return to being an angel under duress. I have regretted that decision for a long time.” He looked over at Dean, who was looking on with tears in his eyes and a proud look on his face. Cas looked away before he got emotional. “Besides how else could I win my man than by proving to him just how much I want to spend the rest of my life with him.”

“Yeah, but shortening it? What does that say?” Dean jokes. 

Cas blanched, but Dean crossed the space and held him, giving him a wet kiss on the cheek. 

“So everyone, Cas is back, and we’re getting married and you can all stay for dinner, there are two pots of chilli on the stove and plenty of beer.”

The assembled group, their friends and family, The wayward sisters, Charlie and Stevie and Bobby from the other world. Max Banes and a handful of hunters from the old days. It was practically a reunion. There would be some folks sleeping in the floor of the library that night. 

Cas led Dean down a hall into Dean’s bedroom, shutting the door behind them. “Thank you for helping me with my speech Dean.”

“Yeah, no problem. You did great.” He kissed his cherk again for good measure. He didnt think he would ever grow tired of kissing this man. 

“Were you… Were you serious?” Cas asked. 

“About what?” He took a swig of beer.

“Do you want to marry me?”

Dean brightened. “I mean.. We practically are anyway. Might as well make it official. Not sure what kind of wedding I can afford on a mechanics salary, but…”

“Mechanic?” Cas asked, tilting his head. 

“Oh, didn’t I tell you? I kind of quit hunting and got a job…”

Castiel rolled his eyes and kissed him pushing him onto the bed. 

“You can tell me all about it in the morning.”

“No good, i have to work in the morning.”

Cas propped himself up on his elbow, to look at him. “You’re serious?”

Dean nodded, suddenly nervous. What if this wasn’t the life Cas wanted. What if he had expected a life of adventure and hunting…

But there were tears of joy in his eyes. “Dean that’s wonderful. I am so happy you went for what will make you happy. I’m sorry I wasn't there to cheer you on.”

Dean ducked his head. “You were there Cas. Your words were there. Reminding me I’m not just a killer. That I have other parts of me. That I can let this all go and Sam and his network will be fine without me. I couldn’t have done it without you.” 

They came together for a kiss and held each other close, completely forgetting their guests and spending the rest of the night exploring each other in ways neither ever thought possible.


End file.
